Bay Area man who wanted to blow up California Democratic HQ must have psych exam

SAN FRANCISCO  — A California man who pleaded responsible to plotting to firebomb the state Democratic Social gathering’s headquarters and different buildings in Northern California should bear a psychiatric examination, a decide mentioned.

The courtroom needs extra details about the psychological state of Ian Benjamin Rogers earlier than he’s sentenced, Senior U.S. District Choose Charles E. Breyer wrote in an order filed in San Francisco on Friday.

Prosecutors mentioned Rogers and one other man conspired to assault targets they related to Democrats after former President Donald Trump’s defeat within the November 2020 presidential election, together with the California governor’s mansion and buildings for social media firms Fb and Twitter.

Breyer on Friday ordered sentencing paperwork turned over to a psychiatrist to “assess the defendant’s psychological situation, advocate an acceptable course of therapy, if any, and assess the defendant’s dangerousness,” in keeping with the order cited Monday by the Sacramento Bee.

A report is due inside 60 days. Rogers’ Oct. 27 sentencing date was postponed.

Rogers, of Napa, pleaded responsible in Might to conspiring to destroy the constructing in Sacramento by hearth or explosives, possessing an explosive machine and possessing a machine gun as a part of an settlement that might deliver him seven to 9 years in federal jail.

However three weeks in the past, Breyer rejected the proposed plea settlement, saying he was involved that Rogers hadn’t proven any regret for his actions and had informed probation officers for a pre-sentencing report that he solely felt unhealthy for placing himself in a state of affairs ”that allowed the federal government to destroy my life.”

The decide mentioned: “I’ve to say in … 23 years I’ve by no means seen that kind of assertion. I’ve by no means seen a defendant are available in and easily say I remorse I used to be caught.”

A co-defendant, Jarrod Copeland, beforehand pleaded responsible to conspiracy and destruction of data. He additionally was scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27.